Water heater



Feb. 15, 1938. J. IF. MUSTEE y 2,108,691

v ATER HEATER Filed Aug. 8, 1936 BY 5 m Mw/k ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 15,1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to coil type water heaters and moreparticularly to baffles insertable within the convolution of the coil orcoils thereof for controlling the flow of the hot gases therethrough ina manner to increase the emciency of the heater.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a novel, improvedbaffle for use in coil type water heaters which can be readily detachably assembled within the convolutions of the coils.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel,inexpensive, improved bafil-e for use in coil type water heaters, whichcan readily be detachably assembled within the convolutions of the coiland which when assembled in the heater will remain in place without thenecessity of providing supplemental means for holding the same inposition.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel, elficientcoil type Water heater comprising a bafile detachably assembled withinthe coils for directing the flow of the hot gases therethrough in amanner to increase the eificiency of the heater within the coils, whichbaffle is held in place by its own resiliency and without the provisionof supplemental means.

The present invention resides in certain novel details of construction,combination and arrangements of parts, and further objects andadvantages thereof will be apparent from the following description ofthe preferred embodiment thereof, described with reference to theaccompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views, and in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a double coil type water heater,embodying the present invention, with the jacket door open;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective View of a por tion of the inside coilof the heater shown in Fig, 1.

Fig, 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but at a slightly different angle,with a portion of the coil broken away;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the bafiie shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and4; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the baffle shown in Fig. 4 looking fromthe right.

Generally speaking, the bafile of the present invention consists of aplate or body portion formed substantially in the shape of a disc havinga cut out portion on one side thereof, and a resilient member projectingfrom one side of the body portion. In use, the baflle is insertedbetween two convolutions of a heater coil until the part thereof whichresembles the cut out portion of the disc engages the rear convolution,that is, the part of the coil which connects the two con- 5 volutionsbetween which the baflle is inserted. The general plane of the baffleplate assumes that of the front part of the convolutions between whichit is inserted from which it follows that the rear part of the baflleplate extends transversely across the rear convolution or that part ofthe coil with which it engages. This construction limits the rearwardmovement of the baffle plate. The forward movement of the bafile islimited by the resilient member projecting from one side thereofwhichengages a portion of the inside circumference of one of the twoconvolutions between which the bafile is inserted and forces the bodyportion or plate of the bafile into contact with the other of said twoconvolutions. The cut out portion at the rear of the baffle plate may beof any desired shape. Preferably it is slightly reentrant and theportions to either side thereof twisted slightly, so that the rear partof the baffle securely engages about the coil where it contacts the sameas clearly shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 shows a double coil circulating tankside-arm gas water heater of conventional construction except for thefact that it is provided with a bafile designated generally by thereference character A hereinafter more specifically referred to. Theconventional elements of the heater include a double coil heat exchangeassembly designated generally as B, comprising inner and outer coils II]and H, respectively, enclosed within a jacket I2 comprising a jacketdoor I3, a top plate l4, and a base ring l5. The burner is designatedgenerally by the reference character 16.

In the present instance the ei'liciency of the 40 heater is increasedand the hot gases prevented from going directly up through the insidecoil and out at the flue provided at the top in the top plate M, by thebaflie A inserted between the two convolutions a and b of the insidecoil l0. While only one baflie is employed in the preferred embodimentshown it will be understood that two or more baffles may be used in thesame heater as desired. The number of bafiles employed in any one heaterdepends upon the size and type etc. of the heater in question.

The baffle shown, which is preferably stamped out of sheet metal in asingle operation, generally speaking comprises a plate or body portion20, resembling a disc having an arcuate shaped 55 recess or aperture 2|formed in one edge thereof, and a tongue or arm 22 projecting from aboutthe center of the plate at an angle thereto in a radial directiondiametrically opposite the. recess or aperture 2 I. The radiallyextending tongue 22 is formed out of a portion of material of the plate20 and as previously stated, projects at an angle to the plate 20 fromabout the center thereof toward the periphery in a direction oppositethe aperture 2|. The portions of the plate 25 at opposite sides of theaperture 2! are twisted out of the plane of the plate indicated by thedot dash line in Fig. 5, so that the baffle plate will more readilyengage about the portion 0 of the coil ID to the rear of the twoconvolutions a and b between which the baflie is inserted. In theparticular embodiment shown the section 23 of the plate 20 to one sideof the aperture 2! is raised above the plane of the plate proper whilethe portion 24 on the opposite side of the recess 2 i isfidepressed. 7

When the baffle is assembled in the coil, the tongue 22 engages thelower inside of the upper convolutions a and forces the plate 20 downinto tight engagement with the lower convolution b. The free end of thetongue 22 is slightly rounded as at 25' so as to more securely engagethe lower inside part of the convolution a. This construction holds thebaffle in position and pr'events'its movement in an outwardly direction.The fact that the rear'co'nvolution c'engages within or extends throughthe aperture, 2! in' the baffle securely holds the rear part of thebaifie in position and prevents its movement in a rearward direction.The manner in which the baflle is held in position between theconvolutions of the coil is clearly illustrated in the drawing.

From the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of theinvention it will be apparent that the objects. heretofore enumeratedhave 'been accomplished, and that a novel baffie and hot water heaterhave been provided. While the preferred embodiment. of the invention hasbeen herein illustrated and described in considerable detail, I do notwish to be limited to the particular construction shown, which may bevaried within the scope of the invention, and I particularly point outand claim as my invention the following:

1. A baffle comprising a body portion or plate substantially the shapeof a disc having a cut out portion in one edge, and a resilient memberprojecting from one side of said plate, said plate adjacent to but atone side of the cut out portion being raised above the general'planethereof and at the other side of the cut out portion being depressedbelow the general plane of the plate.

2. A baffle comprising a body portion or plate substantially the shapeof a disc having an aperture in one edge, and a resilient tongueprojecting atan angle from about the center of one side ofthe plate in-aradial direction diametrically opposite said aperture.

3. A water heater comprising a coil type heat exchange unit, a baflieplate positioned within the convolutionsof the coil of saidheat exchangeunit and having a portion which engages a turn of the coil transverselythereof, and a resilient tongue projecting at an angle from about thecenter of said baflie plate and engaging said coil diametricallyopposite the part thereof engaged transversely by the baffle plate fordetachably retaining said baflle' plate in assembled position withinsaid heat exchanger.

JOSEPH F. MUSTEE.

